Nine year anniversary of Lexington Police Officer’s death

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — Monday marks nine years since Officer Bryan Durman tragically lost his life in a hit and run incident.

Officer Durman was the last line of duty death, for the Lexington Police Department and the first one in 25 years at that time.

Durman was responding to a noise complaint that day when he was hit by a hit-and-run driver on N Limestone.

Commander Mike Wright with Lexington Police remembers that day.

“I remember getting a page and getting a phone call that we had an officer that was injured critically and may not make it, being taken to the hospital and at the time I was our commander of the Honor Guard Unit so I responded to the hospital to see what I could do and what I could help out with,” says Commander Wright. “I’ll never forget that feeling responding to the hospital.”

Wright says he always feels this day coming, the anniversary, as soon as April hits.

“You remember all year you always remember you never forget but when that calendar clicks into April you know you have that unfortunate anniversary coming at the end of the month,” says Wright. “Probably something I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.”

He says he’s reminded of Durman often with the memorial he has set up in his office, which includes a pencil sketch of his name engraved in the Fallen Officer Memorial in D.C., and the street named after him.

“Our roll call facility sits right at the corner of Industry and Bryan Durman Drive so it’s sad when you drive by and see the sign everyday but at the same time it’s great because I can still picture the smile on his face,” says Wright. “His picture still lives here in the roll call building and he still has a mailbox in this building.”

Officer Durman was just 27. He’s survived by his wife, Brandy, and his son, Brayden.

The hit-and-run driver, Glenn Doneghy, was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in 2011 and sentenced to 20 years.

But the law at the time said he could be eligible for parole after serving 20% of that sentence.

Doneghy was denied parole in 2016 and the law has since been changed, when victims are police and firefighters.